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91-548: The case arose when the plaintiff, Jadunathjee Brajratanjee Maharaj, a religious leader, filed a case of libel against a reformer and journalist Karsandas Mulji for writing an article in the newspaper, Satyaprakash , titled Hinduo No Asli Dharam Ane Atyar Na Pakhandi Mato ( lit.   ' The True/Original Religion of the Hindus and the Present Hypocritical/phoney Sects ' ). In this article he questioned

182-565: A document that would censor their criticism of him under threat of excommunication. Mulji decried Jivanlal's document as a "slavery bond", and in 1860 published a work claiming that Pushtimarg was a heretical sect which advocated sexual mistreatment of women. The Bombay maharajas then decided to bring in Jadunath Brijratan, a well-known maharaja from Surat , to defend their stances. Jadunath had several public and press debates with Mulji and other reformers. Eventually Jadunathjee Maharaj filed

273-495: A hundred thousand units and mills in total. The overall annual turnover is around 5 billion rupees. There are over 800 cloth wholesalers in Surat. It is the largest manufacturer of clothes in India, and Surti dress material can be found in any state of India. Surat produces 9 million meters of fabric annually, which accounts for 60% of the total polyester cloth production in India. Now the city

364-488: A libel case in the Bombay Supreme Court on 14 May 1861 against Karsandas Mulji, editor of Satyaprakash , a Gujarati weekly newspaper, and its publisher Nanabhai Rustomji Ranina, for defaming the plaintiff in an article published on 21 October 1860. The defense's lawyers sought to have the case thrown out on the argument that Mulji's comments did not attack Jadunath personally but rather as a religious leader, and that

455-508: A network of 245 buses connecting major localities. Surat International Airport located in Magdalla , 11 kilometres (7 mi) southwest of Surat. It is the 2nd busiest airport in Gujarat in terms of both aircraft movements and passenger traffic. Currently, airlines such as Air India, Alliance Air, AirAsia India, SpiceJet, IndiGo Airlines, Air Odisha, Ventura AirConnect provide flight services from

546-606: A novel titled Maharaj based on the case which was awarded the Nandshankar award by the Narmad Sahitya Sabha. Netflix 's 2024 period drama film Maharaj , directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra and produced by Aditya Chopra under YRF Entertainment starring Aamir Khan ’s son Junaid Khan (in his debut) and Jaideep Ahlawat , is based on the Maharaj Libel Case and Saurabh Shah's novel. The Gujarat High Court stayed

637-418: A public newspaper which was a form of malice. Sausse stated Mulji attacked Jadunath publicly without provocation, and that even if the sexual allegations against Jadunath were true, they were a private matter and newspapers could not attack people on private matters without public interest. Nevertheless, Sausse suspected the reliability of Jadunath and his witnesses' testimonies and only awarded him five rupees on

728-527: A range of manufacturing and industry fields such as diamonds, textiles, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, automobile, port etc. Since it is known for producing textiles, including silk, Surat is known as the textile hub of the nation or the Silk City of India. It is very famous for its cotton mills and Surat Zari Craft . Surat is the biggest center of MMF (man-made fiber) in India. It has a total of 381 dyeing and printing mills and 41,100 power loom units. There are over

819-455: A secular court did not have jurisdiction over religious matters. These attempts failed, and the British judges stated Jadunath had the right to defend his reputation in court, but that the case would give no value to Jadunath's status as a religious leader nor to Pushtimarg theology, but rather Jadunath would be treated as an ordinary citizen of the British empire whose actions would be viewed through

910-530: Is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat . The word Surat directly translates to face in Urdu , Gujarati and Hindi . Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport . It is now the commercial and economic centre of South Gujarat , and one of the largest urban areas of western India. It has well-established diamond and textile industry, and

1001-475: Is a Dutch name. There are many other names of Surat in history. Surat is referred to as Surrat, Surate or Soorat in some literature. Before the rise of Surat in the 1500s, the nearby town of Rander was the main commercial centre in the area. Rander had a prominent Arab merchant community involved in overseas trade with regions such as Burma, China, Malaya, and Sumatra. In the 1500s, Rander declined due to Portuguese raids. Surat became an important port city around

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1092-582: Is a major supply centre for apparels and accessories. About 90% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. It is the second largest city in Gujarat after Ahmedabad and the eighth largest city by population and ninth largest urban agglomeration in India. It is the administrative capital of the Surat district . The city is located 284 km (176 mi) south of the state capital, Gandhinagar ; 265 km (165 mi) south of Ahmedabad ; and 289 km (180 mi) north of Mumbai . The city centre

1183-499: Is a small Buddhist and Christian community. Languages of Surat M Corp. (2011) At the time of the 2011 census, 54.42% of the population spoke Gujarati , 22.39% Hindi , 9.92% Marathi , 3.24% Urdu , 3.11% Odia , 1.74% Marwari and 1.38% Bhojpuri as their first language. Surat is a stronghold of the BJP, which has ruled Gujarat continuously for 30 years. Mukesh Dalal , of BJP is the MP from

1274-623: Is also home to the world's largest office building by floor area , the Surat Diamond Bourse . Surat is listed as the second cleanest city of India as of 21 August 2020 according to the Swachh Survekshan 2020 on 20 August. It suffered a major pipeline fire which caused some damage. In the 2021 edition of the same survey, it slipped to 12th place and further dropped to 25th in 2023. Despite these recent fluctuations, Surat continues to implement various cleanliness initiatives and shared

1365-532: Is focusing on increasing the exports of its textile. There are many SME Domestic IT Companies present in Surat. MNC IT companies like IBM, HCL have satellite or virtual branches in Surat. On 14 February 2014, Government of Gujarat DST had handover STPI Surat at Bhestan-Jiav Road, Bhestan Near Udhana-Sachin BRTS Route. Surat city administration will demand for setting up of an information technology (IT) hub and an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) on

1456-669: Is in the 1190s, after Qutb ud-Din Aibak , then a general of Muhammad Ghuri , defeated the Chaulukya king Bhima II in battle. According to the local histories of Bakshi Mian Walad Shah Ahmad and Munshi Ghulam Mohi ud-Din , Aibak went as far south as Rander and Surat. Surat was then ruled by a Hindu chief based at nearby Kamrej . This ruler initially tried to take refuge in a garden at Surat, but then decided that he had no chance of resisting Aibak's forces and offered his submission. Aibak, in turn, confirmed him as ruler of Kamrej. From 1297, Gujarat

1547-526: Is located in Hazira , an industrial suburb where most of the industries are located while other region is Magdalla which is also developed as Port of Magdalla . The government of Gujarat plans another project near Surat similar to Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT). The Chief Minister has suggested that the government wishes to develop DREAM to have a five-seven star hotel, bank, IT, corporate trading house, entertainment zone and other facilities while

1638-601: Is located on the Tapti River (popularly known as Tapi) , close to the Arabian Sea . Surat will be the world's fastest-growing city from 2019 to 2035, according to a study conducted by Economic Times . The city registered an annualised GDP growth rate of 11.5% over the seven fiscal years between 2001 and 2008. Surat was awarded "best city" by the Annual Survey of India's City-Systems (ASICS) in 2013. Surat has been selected as

1729-571: Is now in the Magadalla and Hazira area of Surat Metropolitan Region . It has a famous beach called 'Dumas Beach' located in Dumas.The city is located at 21°12′18″N 72°50′24″E  /  21.205°N 72.840°E  / 21.205; 72.840 . It has an average elevation of 13 metres. The Surat district is surrounded by the Bharuch , Narmada , Navsari and Tapi districts, and Gulf of Cambay to

1820-812: Is people from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Because of demand in the American market from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s (with only a brief recession in 1979), Surat's diamond industry grew tremendously. Currently, most of the diamond polishing workshops are running in the Varachha area of Surat, mostly by the people of the Patel community. Around the world, 8 out of 10 diamonds on the market were cut and polished in Surat. This industry earns India about US$ 10 billion in annual exports. That declined by about 18% in 2019 due to reduced demand for diamonds. The decline continued in 2020 when

1911-540: Is the only city in India to disclose municipal budgets on a weekly basis. Surat began the 'Safe City Project' in 2011 aimed at keeping the city safe using surveillance cameras. The project was headed by Sanjay Srivastava (IPS) who was then the Joint-Commissioner of Surat Police. The 280-square-foot video wall claimed to be the largest surveillance screen in the country, is being installed in the control room of Police Commissioner Mr. Rakesh Asthana (IPS). This will help

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2002-649: Is the ruling party with a majority. Under the Provisions of Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, Section – 4, the powers have been vested in three Distinct Statutory Authorities: the General Board, the Standing Committee, and the Municipal Commissioner. It ranked 7 out of 21 cities for best administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 3.5 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3. It

2093-645: The Bhatia , Lohana , and Baniya castes. Many of these mercantile groups migrated to Bombay under British rule as the city was the political and financial capital of western India. The merchant groups were headed by merchant-princes or seths who were heavily involved in the political and cultural milieu of Bombay. The seths, despite their general lack of education, ignorance of English language and British political traditions, were influential in Bombay society as leaders of business communities and maintainers of cultural honour. By

2184-670: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage deeming Surat as the second cleanest city in India. On 2 October 2007, Surat district was split into two by the creation of a new Tapi district, under the Surat District Re-organisation Act 2007. Surat is a port city situated on the banks of the Tapi river. After dams were built, water flow in Tapi deceased causing the original port facilities to close. The nearest port

2275-525: The Jalalpore Railway Station , removed the Rails and burnt down the post office. After this, situation in the neighbouring villages of Borsad , Anand and Thasra taluqas became so aggravated that British troops was marched through the villages between 22 and 24 August 1942. The Armenian community in Surat, India , flourished from the 16th to the 17th centuries, leaving a lasting impact on

2366-534: The Orientalist school of Indology , whose grand narrative of Indian history was that of a decline from an ancient golden age into a degenerate, superstitious modern society. The British established schools and colleges that would educate new generations of Anglicized Indians who would be supportive of social reforms. These institutions created a new class of urban English speaking professionals who claimed to be superior leaders of society due to their intricate knowledge of

2457-452: The Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) will be based there. Allotment of Khajod land for the project is convenient for the state government because they have 2,000 acres (810 ha) of available land. The Trade Centre, located near Sarsana village, will have a 100,160 m (1,078,100 sq ft) pillar-less air-conditioned hall with a 90 by 35 m (295 by 115 ft) pillar-less dome. Built in 1860, Surat railway station falls under

2548-694: The Surat Lok Sabha constituency . He was elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha in 2024. Govind Dholakia he was nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Rajya Sabha , elected unopposed for the term spanning from 2024 to 2030. The Assembly constituencies of Surat district are The Surat Municipal Corporation is responsible for maintaining the city's civic infrastructure as well as carrying out associated administrative duties. At present, BJP

2639-414: The 10th-century Arabic geographer Istakhri as being four days south of Khambhat and five days north of Sanjan . Other Arabic authors spelled the name as "Subara" or "Sufara". The identification of this place with Surat, though, is uncertain, and in any case these early mentions of Suryapur or Surabaya do not indicate whether it was a sizeable town or just a small hamlet. Another early mention of Surat

2730-476: The 1570s, he launched two major campaigns against Gujarat —one of a much longer duration and one much shorter. The fall of Surat occurred during the former campaign and lasted one month and seventeen days. Akbar implemented large military power during these conquests, fighting many battles. Notably, the conquest of Surat was an important catalyst for overseas trade during the rule of the Mughal Empire as it became

2821-408: The 2011 India census, the population of Surat is 4,467,797. Surat has an average literacy rate of 89%, higher than the national average of 79.5%, male literacy is 93%, and female literacy is 84%. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. In Surat, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Hindus are the majority community. Muslims and Jains are the largest minorities, and there

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2912-495: The 20th century, Surat has experienced some 20 floods. In 1968, most parts of the city were flooded and in 1994 a flood caused a country-wide plague outbreak, Surat being the epicenter. In 1998, 30 per cent of Surat had gone under water due to flooding in Tapti river following release of water from Ukai dam located 90 km from Surat and in Aug 2006 flood more than 95 per cent of the city

3003-641: The Armenians' business prowess, seeking their cooperation for trading privileges in the Mughal court . Today, these gravestones serve as a poignant reminder of the Armenian community's significant contributions to Surat's history and culture. After India gained independence on 15 August 1947, Surat became part of India. At that time it was a part of Bombay State. Later it became the part of Gujarat state. Along with Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur and Vadodara, Surat became one of

3094-462: The British administrative machinery. These English-speaking professionals joined various religious reform movements who concurred with the Orientalist view of modern Indian religion, and especially opposed the seths for their role in so-claimed excessive religious patronage. The Pushtimarg religious heads, the maharajas, began settling Bombay in the 19th century and by 1860 there were five maharajas in

3185-553: The British laws of universal morality. Jadunath continued to use his traditional means of authority to defeat Mulji, and ordered seths to ensure the loyalty of devotees. In one instance Bhatia seths (including Gokuldas Lilahadhar) convened a meeting of two hundred people of their caste to further this aim. This meeting came to the attention of the British Supreme Court, which resulted in the Bhatia Conspiracy case in which

3276-706: The Gujarat Sultans or the Deccan sultanates . However, following the fall of the Gujarat Sultanate in 1538 it was controlled by more local nobles starting with Chengiz Khan who enjoyed absolute authority over Surat, Broach , Baroda and Champaner . However, in 1637, Aurangzeb fully annexed Baglana into the Mughal Empire. In 1514, the Portuguese traveler Duarte Barbosa described Surat as an important seaport, frequented by many ships from Malabar and various parts of

3367-496: The Mughal Empire. Though it remained a pivotal city for textile-based products, it was less important to the British as a port city than it was for the Mughals. Nevertheless, Surat was very interconnected with Asia and Europe, involving trade with both Europeans and Armenian merchants. Tactically, Surat involved itself in trade in fields that did not compete with existing European products, such as pearls and silver. The textile industry

3458-572: The Pushtimarg was not the "true" Hinduism of the Vedic age , but rather a heretic sect that encouraged devotees to hand over their wives and daughters for the maharajas' pleasure. A missionary, Reverend John Wilson , also took the stand. Wilson claimed knowledge of Sanskrit and Old Hindi as well as the Vedas , Puranas , and Shastras , and was thus sent by the defense as an authority on Hinduism. Wilson however

3549-491: The Surat City Police. Surat ranked 9th in India with a GDP of $ 40 billion in the fiscal year 2016. The GDP of Surat in 2020 will be around $ 57 billion estimated by The City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank on urban affairs. Surat is a major hub of diamond cutting and polishing. The first diamond workshops in Gujarat appeared in Surat and Navasari in the late 1950s. The major group working in this industry

3640-573: The administrative control of Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways . In early 2016, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation rated the facility the best large station in India based on cleanliness. The Sitilink or Surat BRTS is a bus rapid transit system in the city. Initiated by Bharat Shah, additional city engineer of Surat Municipal Corporation. It is operated by Surat Municipal Corporation and as of August 2017, had

3731-478: The adulterous love of Krishna and the gopis in Vrindavan was merely a metaphor for the relationship between devotees and Krishna, not an endorsement of infidelity. Karsandas Mulji himself took the stand, and stated the maharajas were oppressive leaders who encouraged sexual debauchery. He stated that Jadunath should rather be sued for libel, given his public attacks against Mulji. Mulji restated his earlier claims that

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3822-415: The city as well as the regular collection of garbage. Rao also demolished many illegal constructions. However, slums would often fall subject to removal when streets were widened, but Rao ensured that the residents were given alternative residential sites with adequate facilities to accommodate them. Rao’s urban and sanitary-related actions fostered the revival of Surat in its post-plague state. Nevertheless,

3913-502: The city was mentioned, many residents of Surat fled the city. About a quarter of Surat’s population fled the city, including people who were in the incubation phase of the disease. This, in turn, partly contributed to the spread of the plague throughout India. In the media, the cause of the plague was attributed to poor garbage disposal. However, the spread was instead brought about by rodents and fleas which were inadvertently caused by garbage in Surat. The disease ran more rampant through

4004-486: The city's history. The Armenian gravestones in Surat, dating back to this period, are intricate and well-preserved, showcasing the community's presence and customs. Armenians in Surat were renowned traders, dealing in jewelry, precious stones, cotton, and silk. They established trade routes to destinations such as Egypt , the Levant , Turkey , Venice , and Leghorn , often traveling with their families. The British recognised

4095-409: The city. By the middle of the 19th century, Surat had become a stagnant city with about 80,000 inhabitants. When India's railways opened, the city started becoming prosperous again. Silks , cotton, brocades, and objects of gold and silver from Surat became famous and the ancient art of manufacturing fine muslin was revived. Under British Raj , Surat saw a period of decline from its success under

4186-484: The city. The maharajas sought to exert control over their devotees and castes through seth intermediaries, and they were generally successful against anonymous reformers and caste solidarity. One such reformer was Karsandas Mulji, an English-educated reformer who was the editor of the Satyaprakash newspaper. Mulji came from an orthodox Pushtimarg merchant family who were highly respected in Bombay society; however Karsandas

4277-513: The co-operation continued into 2016. Surat is being a port city, it has turned as a major commercial and industrial hub in India. It is home for many companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation , Reliance Industries ( Hazira Manufacturing Division ), Essar Steel , Larsen & Toubro , Krishak Bharati Cooperative , NTPC Limited , Bharat Petroleum , Indian Oil Corporation , UltraTech Cement , Shell , GAIL , GSEG , Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation , Hero MotoCorp etc. Hazira Port

4368-516: The community did view the maharajas as incarnations of Krishna. Another witness, Jamunadas Sevaklal, gave a similar testimony stating he had no knowledge of immoralities or sexual orgies of the maharajas, and stated the maharajas in his view were gurus who were the representations of Krishna although others worshipped them as gods. When Gopaldas and Jamunadas were directly questioned on whether the maharajas were gods or humans, they were confused and could not provide definite answers. Jadunath himself took

4459-460: The disease from a female devotee. Other witnesses, such as Mathuradas Lowjee, supported the physician's testimonies. Lowjee was a member of the Pushtimarg, but ever since sexual allegations against the maharajas became public in 1855, he kept his distance from the maharajas and refused to venerate them all the while maintaining his theological commitment to the sect. He stated that Pushtimarg devotees, including members of his own Bhatia caste , viewed

4550-559: The evening, especially near the Bazaar (marketplace), the streets became crowded with people and merchants (including Banyan merchants ) selling their goods. Surat was a populous city during the Mughal era but also had a large transient population: during the monsoon season, when ships could come and go from the ports without danger, the city's population would swell. In 1612, England established its first Indian trading factory in Surat. The city

4641-570: The fact that women's donations were a major source of financial income for the sect. Lakhmidas Khimji confirmed Lowjee's testimony, stating he once observed Jadunath grope the breasts of a fourteen year old girl and later stumbled upon Jadunath having sexual intercourse with her. Khimji stated on a few occasions he observed a widow companion of Jadunath procure married women for his sexual pleasure. Kalabhai Lalubhai also claimed Jadunath had sexual relations with women and girls as young as fourteen. Justice Joseph Arnould ruled in favour of Mulji. Arnould

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4732-457: The fast growing cities and major commercial and industrial centers of Western India. During the post-independence period, Surat has experienced considerable growth in industrial activities especially textiles and chemical along with trading activities. Surat faced a major health crisis in 1994. News of a plague outbreak in Surat occurred in September 1994, and when the possibility of quarantine for

4823-546: The first smart IT city in India which is being constituted by the Microsoft CityNext Initiative tied up with IT services majors Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro . The city has 2.97 million internet users, about 65% of total population. Surat was selected in 2015 for an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant. Surat has been selected as one of twenty Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission . Surat

4914-582: The hottest months, the average maximum temperature being 37 °C (99 °F). Monsoon begins in late June and the city receives about 1,200 mm (47 in) of rain by the end of September, with the average maximum being 32 °C (90 °F) during those months. October and November see the retreat of the monsoon and a return of high temperatures until late November. Winter starts in December and ends in late February, with average mean temperatures of around 23 °C (73 °F), and negligible rain. Since

5005-695: The industry closed for some months because of the COVID-19 pandemic in India . A legacy of old Dutch trade links, it began after a Surti entrepreneur returned from East Africa bringing diamond cutters. The rough diamonds are mined in South Africa and other regions of the African continent, and go from here as smooth gems to Antwerp, Belgium where the international diamond trade is run mainly by Hasidic Jews and Jains from Palanpur in North Gujarat. Surat's economy drives from

5096-409: The libel charge. Sausse sided with the defendants on the pleas that the Pushtimarg was a heterodox sect and agreed that the defendant's publications were true, and awarded Mulji eleven thousand five hundred rupees. The libel case stirred unprecedented interest in the public. Karsandas Mulji's efforts and the court decision received praise from the liberals and the press. For his part, Mulji was cited by

5187-461: The limited theological knowledge they possessed, but none knew Sanskrit or Braj Bhasha and were not fully versed in Pushtimarg history. One notable witness, Gopaldas Madhavdas, stated he did not know of any sexual immoralities conducted by Jadunath or any other maharaj, and stated they were highly honoured religious leaders of the merchant communities. Gopaldas viewed and venerated the maharajas as gurus rather than Krishna, but stated that others in

5278-541: The local English press as 'Indian Luther', after the Christian reformer Martin Luther . During and after the case, Pushtimarg devotees struggled to come to terms with the sexual allegations against the maharajas. Generally, devotees continued to have social contact with the maharajas as their religious leaders. In the next two decades however, some merchant devotees in Bombay built new temples and theological journals independent of

5369-426: The maharajas as literal incarnations of Krishna. He stated senior members of the caste had "Ras Mandalis", which re-enacted the dances between Krishna and the gopis. He stated he once stumbled upon a maharaja having sexual intercourse with a female devotee. When Lowjee asked Jivanlal to stop the maharajas illicit behaviour, Jivanlal told him that he could not due to the powerful addiction of male sexual desire, as well as

5460-450: The maharajas were simply mortal spiritual guides and that only their ancestor Vallabha was an incarnation of Krishna. He stated the veneration the maharajas received was in accordance with Hindu scriptures and that only the maharajas could directly worship the Krishna images, so devotees would worship the maharajas. He denied all sexual allegations relating to him and any other maharajas, stating

5551-451: The maharajas. In 1875, Dayananda Saraswati came to Bombay and attacked the Pushtimarg on similar lines as Mulji, calling it a heterodox sect with false religious leaders who contradicted "true" Hinduism. Maitri Goswami, Dhawal Patel et al. have written a book titled Doctrines of Pushtibhaktimarga: Allegations, Conspiracies and Facts (In context of Maharaj Libel Case) based on the case. Saurabh Shah, Gujarati author and journalist, wrote

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5642-492: The mid-nineteenth century the British had established political control over the Indian subcontinent and sought to create an administrative-legal framework to manage their colonial interests. British officials sought to compile Indian legal doctrines and apply them to British common law, effectively stripping native groups of civil and criminal self-governance in favour of a unified legal system. This desire to produce legal codes spawned

5733-637: The most important port city of that reign and evolved into a bustling trading hub. It was the most prosperous port in the Mughal empire. Despite being a rich city, Surat looked like a typical "grubby" trader's town with mud-and-bamboo tenements and crooked streets, although along the riverfront there were a few mansions and warehouses belonging to local merchant princes and the establishments of Turkish, Armenian, English, French and Dutch traders. There were also hospitals for cows, horses, flies and insects run by religious Jains , which puzzled travelers. Some streets were narrow while others were of sufficient width. In

5824-532: The name "Suraj", or "Suryapur", or "city of the sun". Gopi sent a request to the unnamed king of Gujarat for this to be the new town's name. The Muslim king altered it to Surat after the word surah , which is the name of the chapters of the Qur'an . However, the names Suryapur and Surat are both mentioned in sources before 1500, so both the name and the town predate Gopi's time. Duarte Barbosa described Surat as Suratt. Jacob Peeters referred to Surat as Sourratte which

5915-404: The offering of devotees' wives and daughters to them. Two expert witnesses were also brought to the stand, Bhau Daji and Dhiraj Dalpatram, who were physicians to Jadunath. They said that they had treated Jadunath and other maharajas for syphilis , which they stated was due to sexual relations with female devotees. Dalpatram even stated that Jadunath had himself admitted to him that he had caught

6006-472: The outskirts of the city. Microsoft CityNext initiative has tied up with IT services majors Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro to leverage technology for sustainable growth of cities in India. The first smart IT city in India is being constituted by the Microsoft CityNext Initiative in Surat, Gujarat . In 2011, Surat hosted India's first Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra (a tech event) with speakers from Microsoft Headquarters at Redmond, Washington . The event

6097-406: The plague had long-lasting implications for Surat. It brought attention to the lack of information and the spread of misinformation that occurred in India. Incorrect death tolls and false facts about the cause of the disease were spread, leaving lots of room for post-plague city revival both in terms of information control and cleanliness. Surat’s actions pertaining to the latter eventually resulted in

6188-422: The plague, Suryadevara Ramachandra Rao was elected as the new administrator and launched extensive cleaning campaigns to combat the outbreak. This was a major step towards sanitation and cleanliness in Surat. Rao’s campaigns included launching hotel and shop inspections (to address their irresponsible garbage practices) for several months and calling for the broadening of roads. He enforced designated sweeping of

6279-405: The police view the entire city live through 10,000 CCTV cameras across the city. Surat police have decided to install 5,000 CCTV cameras at sensitive points across the city. While 1,000 cameras will be night vision cameras, 4,000 others will be simple CCTV cameras. This has been installed on PPP base with the help of the city's businessmen, the city's social persons, Surat Municipal Corporation , and

6370-666: The release of the film, based on a Hindu group's plea that claimed the film could incite violence against followers of Pushtimarga Sampradaya . It was finally released on 21 June 2024 for streaming on Netflix. Karsandas Mulji Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.151 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 389399339 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:49:10 GMT Surat Surat ( Gujarati : [suɾət] )

6461-414: The rise of Bombay (present-day Mumbai ). Afterward, Surat's shipbuilding industry declined and Surat itself gradually declined throughout the 18th century. During 1790–1791, an epidemic killed 100,000 Gujaratis in Surat. The British and Dutch both claimed control of the city, but in 1800, the British took control of Surat. A fire in 1837 resulted in more than 500 deaths and the destruction of much of

6552-436: The same time, and some of Rander's merchant population likely moved to Surat for economic opportunity. Early references to Surat appear by the 10th century, but they shed little light on what type of settlement it was. As Suryapur, it is mentioned along with Bharuch as a place where an army from Anhilwara passed through in 990 en route to attack the ruler of Lata . Suryapur may also be the port called "Surabaya" mentioned by

6643-426: The seths were convicted for mass witness tampering and forced to pay fines to the court. That case made public the divisions growing in the devotional community over the status of the maharajas and their loyalty to them. Thirty-five witnesses were called by Jadunath's side to serve as character witnesses, all from mercantile castes and including several seths. The devotee witnesses did their best to defend Jadunath with

6734-468: The slum population of Surat. In order to combat the spread of this disease, Surat closed its schools, universities, and public places for an indefinite period. They also ordered the shutdown of important industrial businesses, including diamond-cutting units. Eventually, antibiotics were given out and the plague was controlled. Prior to the major plague outbreak, Surat Municipal Corporation was suspended in 1993, leaving no major elected body in charge. During

6825-526: The stand, and claimed knowledge of Sanskrit, Braj Bhasha, and Gujarati, but then later stated he had never actually read any Braj Bhasha Pushtimarg text. When asked about certain texts that supported the veneration of maharajas, Jadunath stated he was personally unfamiliar with those texts and at one point in the trial claimed the Shrinathji Temple was in Kankroli rather than Nathdwara . Jadunath stated that

6916-403: The title of the cleanest city in India with Indore in the 2023 Swachh Survekshan Awards , highlighting its ongoing efforts towards maintaining high cleanliness standards. The traditional account is that Surat was built up by a wealthy Hindu merchant named Gopi around the year 1500. At first, the town had no name and was simply called "the new place". Gopi consulted with astrologers, who suggested

7007-557: The values of a Hindu sect called the Pushtimarg or Vallabha Sampradaya. The article was claimed to be libelous by the plaintiff. In particular were accusations that Jadunathjee had sexual liaisons with women followers and that men were expected to show their devotion by offering their female family members for sex with the religious leaders. Jadunathjee was a religious leader of the Vaishnavite Pushtimarg sect of Hinduism. The sect

7098-556: The west. The climate is tropical and monsoon rainfall is abundant. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards , the town falls under seismic zone-III , in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes). Surat has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen : Aw), moderated strongly by the Sea to the Gulf of Camboy. The summer begins in early March and lasts until June. April and May are

7189-464: The world. By 1520, the name of the city had become Surat. It was burned by the Portuguese (1512 and 1530), conquered by the Mughals (1573) and was twice raided by the Maratha king Shivaji (17th century). Mughal Emperor Akbar placed major importance on Gujarat and successfully obtained numerous towns in Gujarat. The Mughals were able to conquer Surat due to his campaigns against Gujarat during his rule. In

7280-556: Was also a large portion of Surat’s shipping success. But despite being a primary port for textiles, Surat rarely manufactured these textiles locally. Bullion was also quite important to Surat’s economy during this time. During his first-hand experience on a trip to Surat, Britisher John Ovington recalls the great ores Surat possessed, such as gold and silver. He recollects the notable “abundance of Pearls” and other precious stones like diamonds that could “be purchas’d here [Surat] at very reasonable rates.” As Ovington observed, this industry

7371-610: Was appointed governor of Gujarat in 1391, he appointed his son Masti Khan to govern Rander and Surat, but Bakshi Mian adds that Surat was not very populous at this point. As control from the Delhi Sultanate waned at the end of the 14th century, pressure grew for an independent Gujarat, culminating in Zafar Khan declaring independence in 1407. Surat was controlled directly by the nobles of the Rajput kingdom of Baglana who fell either under

7462-497: Was disowned for his reformist views and had to drop out of Elphinstone College . Mulji became well known amongst Bombay reformists, and he launched attacks against the Pushtimarg and the Bombay maharajas for believed sexual depravity. Sexual allegations against the maharajas had first became public in 1855, and the senior-most maharaja in Bombay, Jivanlal, launched rebuttals against the reformers. Jivanlal attempted to silence criticism from Pushtimarg devotees by making his supporters sign

7553-517: Was founded in the 16th century by Vallabha and worships Krishna as the supreme being. The leadership of the sect remained with Vallabha's direct male descendants who possess the titles of maharaja . Theologically Vallabha and his descendants are accorded partial divinity as mediating figures for Krishna's grace who are able to render Krishna's presence immediately to the devotee. Pushtimarg's followers in Gujarat, Kathiyawad, Kutch, and central India were rich merchants, bankers, and farmers, including

7644-576: Was gradually conquered by Allauddin Khilji , the ruler of the principal state in north India at the time, the Delhi Sultanate . The Delhi Sultanate appointed Governors to control Gujarat, but this had to be forcefully imposed, notably in 1347, when Muhammad bin Tughluq sacked Surat, among other cities. Firoz Shah Tughlaq later built a fort at Surat in 1373. According to Bakshi Mian's account, when Zafar Khan

7735-686: Was imperative to Surat’s prosperity under the British Raj and allowed it to maintain its relevance as a port city. During the Quit India Movement of Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, A large number of 3,000 Koli cultivators from Matwad, Karadi, Machhad and Kothmadi in Surat District fought against British soldiers at Matwad with lathis and dharias on 21 August 1942. In this fight, four persons including one policeman died. The kolis also snatched away four police muskets and two bayonets. Kolis smashed up

7826-455: Was looted twice by the Maratha king Shivaji , with the first sacking occurring in 1664. Shivaji's raids scared trade away and caused ruin to the city. Later, Surat became the emporium of India, exporting gold and cloth. Its major industries were shipbuilding and textile manufacture. The coast of the Tapti River , from Athwalines to Dumas, was specially meant for shipbuilders, who were usually Rassis. The city continued to be prosperous until

7917-520: Was not intimately familiar with the Pushtimarga , and referred to Professor H. H. Wilson's works on the sect. He criticized the maharajas for the practice of lavish seva to Krishna, which he stated was in opposition to the asceticism of "true" Hinduism. He stated the maharajas were uneducated spiritual leaders who were worshipped as incarnations of Krishna solely due to their genealogical descent from Vallabha, and that their religious scriptures sanctioned

8008-476: Was organised by Ex- Microsoft Student Partner Samarth Zankharia. In May 2015, Tech giant IBM has chosen Surat among 16 global locations for its smart cities program to help them address challenges like waste management, disaster management and citizen services. Under the program, IBM will send a team of experts to each of the chosen cities where they will spend three weeks working closely with city staff analysing data about critical issues faced by its local bodies;

8099-490: Was particularly influenced by Reverend Wilson's and Bhau Daji's testimonies. Arnould stated that Mulji's comments in Satyaprakash were not false and not specifically attacking Jadunath. Arnould agreed that the Pushtimarg was a degraded sect of Hinduism that promoted debauchery and loose morals. He stated Mulji did nothing wrong in exposing the "evil and barbarous" practices of the maharajas. Chief Justice Matthew Richard Sausse

8190-424: Was the senior of the two judges in the case, and overruled Arnould's judgement to find Mulji guilty of libel. Sausse was also greatly impressed by the defense's witnesses, which in his view affirmed the defendant's claim that the Pushtimarg was a heterodox sect and that Jadunath engaged in salacious behaviour. However, Sausse ruled that Mulji took a private dispute within the Pushtimarg and published his grievances in

8281-417: Was under Tapti river waters, killing more than 120 people, stranding tens of thousands in their homes without food or electricity and closing businesses and schools for weeks. The city is expected to experience more flooding and extreme weather as climate change becomes worse , so has invested in flood protection and climate resilience infrastructure. A resident of Surat is called Surati . According to

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